Rameses

Rameses was a city in Egypt where the Israelites lived during their enslavement before the Exodus (Gen. 47:11; Exo. 12:37).

Rameses was a city and region in Egypt where Jacob's family settled when they first arrived in Egypt (Gen. 47:11). It was located in the land of Goshen. The Israelites later departed from Rameses at the beginning of the Exodus (Exo. 12:37; Num. 33:3,5). The name may come from the Egyptian phrase "Ra created it", referring to the sun god Ra. Some scholars believe Rameses was named after the pharaoh Rameses II of the 19th Dynasty, but the biblical chronology would place the Exodus much earlier. The exact location is uncertain, but it was likely in the eastern Nile Delta region.

“the land of” (Gen. 47:11), was probably “the land of Goshen” (q.v.) 45:10. After the Hebrews had built Rameses, one of the “treasure cities,” it came to be known as the “land” in which that city was built.

The city bearing this name (Ex. 12:37) was probably identical with Zoan, which Rameses II. (“son of the sun”) rebuilt. It became his special residence, and ranked next in importance and magnificance to Thebes. Huge masses of bricks, made of Nile mud, sun-dried, some of them mixed with stubble, possibly moulded by Jewish hands, still mark the site of Rameses. This was the general rendezvous of the Israelites before they began their march out of Egypt. Called also Raamses (Ex. 1:11).